Delay compensated continuous time comparator

ABSTRACT

A delay compensated comparator circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes an amplifier circuit having a first input terminal coupled to receive a reference signal and having a second input terminal and a first output terminal. A capacitor is arranged to couple an input signal to the second input terminal. A resistor is coupled between the first output terminal and the second input terminal. A comparator circuit has a third input terminal coupled to receive the input signal, a fourth input terminal coupled to the first output terminal, and a second output terminal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a delay compensated continuous time comparator for integrated circuit applications.

Continuous time comparators are used to indicate when one input signal is equal to another input signal. However, because of the delay through the comparator, this equality is indicated by the comparator output signal after the condition has passed. This produces an error in signal comparison where the continuous time comparator is employed. Referring to FIG. 1, there is a diagram of a continuous time comparator of the prior art. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing inherent error of the comparator of FIG. 1, where the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is voltage. The comparator output signal Vcomp is initially low. Reference voltage Vref is relatively constant and is applied to the negative input of the comparator. Input signal Vin is applied to the positive input of the comparator. As Vin exceeds Vref the comparator output signal Vcomp goes from low to high. This transition occurs when input signal Vin is equal to reference voltage Vref+Td*dVin/dt, where Td is the delay time of the comparator and dVin/dt is the time derivative or slope of Vin when it is equal to Vref. Thus, the low-to-high transition is delayed with respect to the actual crossing time by delay time Td. In addition, at the time of the Vcomp transition Vin is greater than Vref by error voltage Verr. Thus, the continuous time comparator of the prior art produces errors in time and in voltage.

FIG. 3 is a simulation of a typical comparator of the prior art showing voltage and timing errors, where the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is voltage. The comparator output signal Vcomp in the lower diagram is initially low. Reference voltage Vref in the upper diagram is relatively constant at 1.35 V and is applied to the negative input of the comparator. Input voltage Vin is applied to the positive input of the comparator as in FIG. 1. The comparator output signal Vcomp begins a low-to-high transition at 350 ns as Vin approaches Vref. Vin crosses Vref at 375 ns, but Vcomp is not detected until 386 ns when it reaches 0.9 V. By this time, however, the Td error delay is 11.32 ns and the Verr error voltage is 41 mV.

In view of the foregoing problems, embodiments of the present invention are directed to voltage and timing errors in a continuous time comparator circuit.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a delay compensated comparator circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes an amplifier circuit having a first input terminal coupled to receive a reference signal and having a second input terminal and a first output terminal. A capacitor is arranged to couple an input signal to the second input terminal. A resistor is coupled between the first output terminal and the second input terminal. A comparator circuit has a third input terminal coupled to receive the input signal, a fourth input terminal coupled to the first output terminal, and a second output terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a continuous time comparator of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a timing diagram showing operation and inherent error of the comparator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a simulation of a typical comparator of the prior art showing voltage and timing errors;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a continuous time comparator circuit of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a simulation of the continuous time comparator circuit of FIG. 4 for a rising input signal having a positive rate of change with respect to time;

FIG. 6 is a simulation of the continuous time comparator circuit of FIG. 4 for a falling input signal having a negative rate of change with respect to time; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a continuous time comparator circuit of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over continuous time comparator circuits of the prior art as will become evident from the following detailed description.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a continuous time comparator circuit of the present invention. The comparator circuit includes an amplifier 402 coupled to receive reference signal Vref at a positive input terminal. A capacitor 400 is arranged to couple input signal Vin to a negative input terminal of amplifier 402. Resistor 404 is coupled between an output terminal and the negative input terminal of amplifier 402. Amplifier 402 produces a look ahead reference signal Vx that is applied to a negative input terminal of a comparator 406. A positive input terminal of comparator 406 is coupled to receive input signal Vin. Comparator 406 produces output signal Vcomp in response to input signal Vin and look ahead reference signal Vx.

In operation, a transition detection threshold of comparator 406 occurs when input signal Vin is equal to Vx+Td*dVin/dt, where Td is the delay time of comparator 406 and dVin/dt is the time derivative or slope of Vin when it is equal to Vref. Look ahead reference signal Vx is set equal to Vref+Td*dVin/dt to cancel the voltage and delay time error of conventional comparator circuits. This is accomplished by setting delay circuit RC equal to delay time Td of comparator 406. Thus, Vx=Vref+RC*d(Vref−Vin)/dt. There are several ways to set RC equal to delay time Td. First, the bias current of the comparator may be designed so that the conductivity (gm) of the comparator is inversely proportional to resistor R and use the same capacitance C that determines the comparator delay. Second, RC may be trimmed to match comparator delay Td. This may be in addition to the first option. Third, RC may be calibrated and selectively programmed in nonvolatile memory. Finally, selected values of R and C may be included in circuit simulations to verify accuracy for various operational conditions.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is a simulation of the continuous time comparator circuit of FIG. 4 for a rising input signal Vin, where the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is voltage. The comparator output signal Vcomp in the upper diagram is initially low. Reference signal Vref in the lower diagram is relatively constant at 1.35 V and is applied to the positive input of amplifier 402. Input signal Vin is applied to the negative input terminal of amplifier 402 via capacitor C. Input signal Vin is also applied to the positive input terminal of comparator 406. Output signal Vx from amplifier 402 is relatively constant at 1.299 V. This look ahead reference signal Vx is approximately 51 mV less than Vref and advantageously cancels the comparator time delay and voltage errors. Thus, output signal Vcomp from comparator 406 is detected at 905 mV when Vin crosses Vref with negligible error.

Referring next to FIG. 6, there is a simulation of the continuous time comparator circuit of FIG. 4 for a falling input signal Vin, where the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is voltage. The comparator output signal Vcomp in the upper diagram is initially high. Reference signal Vref in the lower diagram is again relatively constant at 1.35 V and is applied to the positive input of amplifier 402. Input signal Vin is applied to the negative input terminal of amplifier 402 via capacitor C. Input signal Vin is also applied to the positive input terminal of comparator 406. Output signal Vx from amplifier 402 is relatively constant at 1.382 V. This look ahead reference signal Vx is approximately 30 mV greater than Vref and advantageously cancels the comparator time delay and voltage errors. Thus, output signal Vcomp from comparator 406 is detected at 898.7 mV when Vin crosses Vref with negligible error.

There are several advantages of this embodiment of the delay compensated comparator circuit of the present invention. First, comparator delay time errors when Vin crosses Vref are cancelled. Comparator output signal Vcomp achieves a mid-point transition detection threshold when input signal Vin is equal to reference voltage Vref. Thus, virtual comparator speed is maximized. Second, input voltage errors are cancelled. The mid-point transition detection threshold occurs when Vin is approximately equal to Vref. Third, RC is independent of Vin. RC modifies look ahead reference signal Vx with respect to Vref. If Vin has a positive slope, Vx is less than Vref, so the comparator transition coincides with the crossing time. Alternatively, if Vin has a negative slope, Vx is greater than Vref, so the comparator transition again coincides with the crossing time. Finally, RC tracks comparator delay Td over process variations. This is because Td is proportional to C_(OUT)/I_(BIAS), where C_(OUT) is the output capacitance of comparator 406 and I_(BIAS) is the bias current of comparator 406. Since I_(BIAS) is preferably proportional to a bandgap reference voltage divided by resistor R, Td and RC track each other.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a continuous time comparator circuit of the present invention. The comparator circuit includes an amplifier 700 coupled to receive a reference signal Vref at a positive input terminal. A capacitor array C₁ through C_(N) selectively couples input signal Vin to a negative input terminal of amplifier 700. Capacitors C₁ through C_(N) are selectively programmed by respective switching devices FC₁ through FC_(N) to trim the total capacitance value of the capacitor array. Capacitors C₁ through C_(N) may be of equal value, linearly related, binary weighted or of any suitable values. Resistor array R₁ through R_(N) selectively couples the output terminal and the negative input terminal of comparator 700. Resistors R₁ through R_(N) are selectively programmed by respective switching devices FR₁ through FR_(N) to trim the total resistance value of the resistor array. Resistors R₁ through R_(N) may be of equal value, linearly related, binary weighted or of any suitable values. Switching devices FC₁ through FC_(N) and FR₁ through FR_(N) are preferably efuses or antifuses as are known in the art. Amplifier 700 produces a look ahead reference signal Vx that is applied to a negative input terminal of a second comparator 702. A positive input terminal of comparator 702 is coupled to receive input signal Vin. Comparator 702 produces output signal Vcomp in response to input signal Vin and look ahead reference signal Vx.

The delay compensated comparator circuit of FIG. 7 includes all the previously discussed advantages of the delay compensated comparator circuit of FIG. 4. In addition, the circuit of FIG. 7 is configured to facilitate both resistor R and capacitor C trimming by either efuse or antifuse programming.

Still further, while numerous examples have thus been provided, one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications, substitutions, or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling within the inventive scope as defined by the following claims. For example, although RC values have been used to replicate comparator delay Td, other circuit elements that track Td may also be used. Other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification. 

1. A circuit, comprising: an amplifier circuit having a first input terminal coupled to receive a reference signal and having a second input terminal and a first output terminal a look—ahead reference signal being generated by the amplifier circuit at the first output terminal; an input signal coupled to a first terminal of a capacitor, the second terminal of the capacitor being arranged to apply an input signal to the second input terminal; a resistor coupled between the first output terminal and the second input terminal; and a comparator circuit having a third input terminal coupled to directly receive the input signal, having a fourth input terminal directly connected to the first output terminal and the resistor, and having a second output terminal, wherein a product of the resistor and the capacitor is approximately equal to a delay of the comparator circuit and a slope of the input signal causes a change in the reference signal to the comparator.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the amplifier circuit produces a compensated reference signal.
 4. The circuit of claim 3, wherein compensated reference signal is less than the reference signal when the input signal has a positive rate of change with respect to time.
 5. The circuit of claim 3, wherein compensated reference signal is greater than the reference signal when the input signal has a negative rate of change with respect to time.
 6. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the comparator circuit produces a compensated output signal at the second output terminal.
 7. The circuit of claim 6, wherein compensated output signal is greater than or equal to a detection threshold when the input signal is equal to the reference signal.
 8. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the resistor and capacitor values are independent of the rate of change of the input signal with respect to time.
 9. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the comparator circuit is a continuous time comparator circuit.
 10. A circuit, comprising: a compensation circuit having a first input terminal coupled to receive a reference signal and having a second input terminal coupled to receive an input signal, the compensation circuit producing a compensated reference signal; and a comparator circuit having a third input terminal directly connected to receive the input signal, having a fourth input terminal coupled to receive the compensated reference signal, the comparator producing a compensated output signal, wherein a transition detection threshold of the comparator occurs when the input signal is equal to Vx+Td*dVin/dt, where Td is the delay time of comparator and dVin/dt is the time derivative or slope of Vin when it is equal to Vref.
 11. (canceled)
 12. The circuit of claim 10, wherein compensated reference signal is less than the reference signal when the input signal has a positive rate of change with respect to time.
 13. The circuit of claim 10, wherein compensated reference signal is greater than the reference signal when the input signal has a negative rate of change with respect to time.
 14. The circuit of claim 10, wherein compensated output signal is greater than or equal to a detection threshold when the input signal is equal to the reference signal.
 15. A circuit, comprising: an amplifier circuit having a first input terminal coupled to receive a reference signal and having a second input terminal and a first output terminal; a capacitor circuit arranged to selectively apply an input signal to the second input terminal; a resistor circuit arranged to selectively couple the first output terminal and the second input terminal; and a first comparator circuit having a third input terminal coupled to receive the input signal, having a fourth input terminal coupled to the first output terminal, and having a second output terminal.
 16. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the capacitor circuit comprises a plurality of parallel capacitor circuits, each capacitor circuit comprising a respective capacitor and series-connected fuse.
 17. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the resistor circuit comprises a plurality of parallel resistor circuits, each resistor circuit comprising a respective resistor and series-connected fuse.
 18. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the first comparator circuit produces a compensated reference signal.
 19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein compensated reference signal is less than the reference signal when the input signal has a positive rate of change with respect to time.
 20. The circuit of claim 18, wherein compensated reference signal is greater than the reference signal when the input signal has a negative rate of change with respect to time. 